


Casablanca

by TT40_Angst_Queen



Series: NCIS One-Shots [12]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Casablanca References, Falling In Love, Father-Son Relationship, Love at First Sight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 16:56:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12611140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TT40_Angst_Queen/pseuds/TT40_Angst_Queen
Summary: “You’ll find someone, Tony. You just gotta’ wait for them to come to ya’, that’s all.” Tony didn’t respond to that and just continued to watch Gibbs oil his boat.





	Casablanca

The sound of birds slowly encroached into Tony’s sleepy, tired mind. He tried to ignore the sound of chirping and general cheeriness that the animals represented. It was the light of dawn steadily brightening that finally woke him up, the bright rays burning into his eyelids and making him scrunch up his nose in displeasure. He still held out for a few moments more, not wanting to acknowledge the reality of the empty space he could feel beside him, something that no matter how often it happened, he still never liked it.

 

Groaning, he finally opened his eyes, avoiding looking at the side of the bed he didn’t use himself. Getting up slowly, he groaned, stretching muscles used liberally the night before. Tony went straight to the bathroom, doing his morning ritual, then got in the shower. The hot water massaged his aching back from his expensive spa showerhead, the only thing his father had ever given him that he actually used. His thoughts left him alone for those few precious minutes in the shower, letting him just drift in the routine motions of hair, face, and body. The repetitive motions of scrubbing and washing made his mind blank and his tense muscles to relax under the hot, steamy water. 

 

Reluctantly getting out of the warm shower, Tony wrapped a towel around his waist. Taking the few steps towards the mirror above the sink, he wiped his hand across the fogged glass, his own, tired face staring back at him. Dark circles ran under his eyes, and his skin was paler than usual. Not a sickly shade of pale, but just enough that it was clear he either did not get enough sleep or that he was under a fair amount of stress. Both options applied to him, and it showed. Tony met his eyes in the mirror, his usual sparkling, happy gaze was dull with sadness and loneliness. When he looked in his own eyes, all Tony could see was the way his own lifestyle had worn him down, both emotionally and physically. 

 

“What are you doing, DiNozzo?” Tony’s whispered question to himself echoed in the empty bathroom.

 

***************************************************

 

Later that day, after work had ended, Tony made his way down the stairs into Gibbs’ basement. The man had given him free reign to come and go as he pleased, even enough to make the guest bedroom into a room just for Tony. Tonight Tony just needed company. He needed to be with someone who wouldn’t disappear the next morning without a word, never to see them again.

 

He needed his dad.

 

“No hot date tonight, DiNozzo?” was what greeted him at the bottom step. Tony shook his head, his eyes dull, and his voice flat when he replied,

 

“Not tonight, dad.” the older man immediately noticed the mood that Tony was in. he knew that right now, Tony needed the man that was like a father to him, not the hard ass ex-Marine boss. 

 

“You alright, son?” Gibbs asked softly, his voice concerned. Even when he asked, Gibbs never stopped working on the boat, knowing that right now, Tony didn’t want to be scrutinized. He just wanted company until he was ready to talk. 

 

“You know Casablanca boss? Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, WW2, Classic. Great love story, you would like Rick, a man of a few words, kinda like you… but really, very romantic. I mean, this guy meets this girl, falls in love with her, she runs, he makes bar and mopes around for years, then she turns up with a new man, and it’s awkward and he’s mad at her but still in love with her. She’s still in love with him, even remembers their song… She loves Rick, but she loves the new guy more. But in the end, he loves her so much that he Helps her and her fugitive lover to escape from Nazi’s…” Tony sighs. He’s silent for a few more minutes, watching as Gibbs coats the boat in a layer of oil, the movements and the sound of the brush rasping back and forth against the wood soothing and familiar. 

 

“To love someone so much, so completely like that...It’s gotta’ be a great feeling, being in love.” Tony sighed, and Gibbs knew it was his turn to step in.

 

“You’ll find someone, Tony. You just gotta’ wait for them to come to ya’, that’s all.” Tony didn’t respond to that and just continued to watch Gibbs oil his boat. 

 

**********************************************

 

Tony had eventually left Gibbs’ house, claiming he was tired. The truth was, he planned to go to the movie store and rent a copy of Casablanca, his own copy having finally been worn down from repeated watching, and curl up with a bowl of popcorn. He wasn’t in any mood for a one-night stand tonight. 

 

When he looked up any movie rental places, having found them hard to find in the new age of downloading and streaming, he found a small place that was surprisingly enough, halfway between his work and home.

 

When he finally parked in front of the building, he was surprised to see that the shop had clearly used to be an old movie theater from the thirties, converted into a movie rental store. Walking in, he immediately felt relaxed, the atmosphere and the soft music making his depression almost fly away. 

 

“Can I help you?” Tony almost jumped, but the kind, quiet voice put him almost instantly at ease. When he turned around, he was greeted with the most beautiful pair of grey eyes, set in a tanned face and dark, Curly hair. 

 

“Hello,” Tony breathed, his mind almost blank.  The woman smiled brightly at him, and his breath caught in his throat; she had a beautiful smile, and it lit up her whole face.

 

“Hello,” the woman reached out a hand, and tony grasped it in his own. He swore he could feel a jolt of electricity lance through his hand and up his spine.

 

“I’m Clarissa-Rose, but most people call me Claire,” she smiled again, and Tony couldn’t help but smile back.

 

“I’m Tony, most people call me Tony,” his usual smooth talking, silver-tongued wit was nowhere to be seen, but Claire didn’t seem to mind, only giggling. 

 

“Hello Tony, are you looking for anything specific today?” Tony nodded and rubbed his head.

 

“Yeah, I don’t know if you’ll have it though,” Claire grinned, and said to Tony in a very matter-of-fact voice,

 

“I doubt that there is any movie I don’t have, Tony. So what are you looking for?”  

 

“Casablanca, like the original black and white, with…”

 

“Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman,” She smiled, and Tony nodded.

 

“Yeah? You know it?” She nodded, and threaded her arm through his, leading him toward where he guessed the movie would be.

 

After she rung up his purchase, he lingered for a bit and chatted some more, reluctant to leave this woman that he felt an immediate connection to.

 

“Would you like to go out sometime?” Tony blurted and blushed when he realized what he asked. Claire just gave him another breathtaking smile and nodded.

 

“I’d love to! I’ve got these tickets to a black and white movie festival, and I accidentally ordered two,” she showed him the tickets, retrieving them from her wallet.

 

“Would you like to go? It’s for this Saturday and Sunday.” Tony grinned and nodded his head.

 

“Of course, I’d love to,” they grinned at each other for a moment, then Claire handed him his bag.

 

“You know,” she said, breaking the silence. “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Tony chuckled.

 

“I agree.” 

 

He went home that night thinking of grey eyes and black curls.

 

_ The beginning of a beautiful friendship. _

 

And hopefully, something more.


End file.
